Rotary engine



Feb. 5, EQ2/L' F. A. BULLINGTON ROTARY ENGINE Filed OC- 20. 1919 2 Sheeis3heet llmatented F 5, i324,

Ei A, BULLINGTE, @E PRTLAND, @Bli'dlt EURid-RY ENGEM,

Application med @atelier 2o, wie. Serial No. 33293123,

Engines, of which the following is a specilication.,A

My invention relates to rotary engines of the character referred to in my pending appllication Serial Number 240,443 and Serial umher 27 8,880.. Among the salient objects of this invention are: to provide an improved and simplified drivingv mechanism for driving the two sets of pistons continuously around the same piston chamber; to provide improved ignition means or internal combustion engines of the rotary type;

and to rovide improved piston nicunti within the piston casing. @ther objects an advantages will appear from the following description of one practical embodiment of my invention here shown for illustrative and descriptive purposes, taken in connection with the accompanying sheets of drawings, in whicli,-

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through .my improved engine as here shown, taken on line 1-1 of Figs 2 and 3;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on line 2-2of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3 3, ci Fig; 1;

Figuresi, 5,]6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views illustrating the diderent advanced positions of the connecting1 and driving means connecting the two sets of pistons;

Referring now more in detail to the draw`1 ings, 1 designates my piston casing, here shown in two sections with a division joint at 2, which is on a horizontal plane through the anis of the machine, said parts bein secured together by means of bolts 3, 3, wit interlocking and alining means 4i, as indi cated, My piston casing is oi oval torni longitudinally of its asis and of circular torni transversely ci its axis, as indicated, respectively, in Figures 1 and 2e A. main shaft 5 is mounted through said casing in suitable bearings (i and 7, andas here shown is provided on one end with a balance wheel 8. Mounted on said shalt, within said piston casing, is a iston arm 9, having a hub portion 9a, keye to said shai'it, as at 10, and

rovided at its opposite ends with piston edles l1 and il', said piston bodies being semi-circular in cross section, with straight inner sides, as clearly indicated in lign 1, and being of circular, se ental forni circumferentially of the casing, as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. Said pistons 1l and 11' are provided at their inner sides with extension lips 11@ and 11", so positioned and, formed as to underlie the bodies of adjacent pistons, and to extend from side to side of the piston casing, as indicated in Figs., 1

and 2, said lip in each case forming the inner wall of a chamber formed within the piston casing between the bodies of two pistons.

Also mounted on said main sliaitt 5, to turn thereon and therewith is a sleeve 12, having a piston arm 13, here shown as a part thereof, and provided at its opposite ends with piston bodies 14. and 1li, slar to the piston bodies 11 and 11. ylhe piston bodies 1d and 14" are also provided with extension lips ldC and 14", similar to the lips 11G and 11F'.

Said piston arms are in crossed relationshidp to each other, as indicated in lig. 2, an said piston bodies follow each other in the ist/on casing, as indicated.

Mbunted on said shaft 5, between the hub portion 9u and the sleeve 12, is a thrust bearing washer 15. Ai similar washer 1G is also mounted at the outer end of said hub portion 9D, and another similar washer 1'? is mounted on the sleeve 12, next to the bearing of the casing, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1. lt will be seen that the pistons are slightly smaller than the piston chamber in which the revolve so as to prevent contact between t e iston surface and the chamber wall, as willJ lines in Fig. 1. A set of piston rings 13, 13 are,I provided at each end of each piston and these rings constitute the only bearing and, sealing means between the iston bodies and the wall of the piston c amber. Piston rings 19, 19 are placed between the opposite edges of the piston lips and the opposite sides of the casing, as indicated in igs. 1 and 2. The piston rings 19-19 constitute axle thrust bearings, spacing, and guiding means tor the piston, it being observed that the pistons are spaced away from the sides of the cylinder or casing and are guided by the piston rings which not only constitute spacing elements but also paelring elements ada ted to resist any arial thrust which might be generated during the operation of be understood by the double Ell@ lill@ f terre the engine. Keyed to the end of thesleeve 12, is a crank arm 20, with a counterweight 21. Keyed to the end of the shaft 1s a similiar crank arm 22, with counterweight- 23. 'lhe ends of said crank arms 2O and-22 are rovided with crank ins a and 22, to w ich `are connected links 20 and 22", the o posite ends of which links are connecte together on a crank pin 24, in the end ot a crank arm 25, mounted on an eccentrically positioned shaft 26, with counterweight 27 at the opposite end of said crankI take port 32 is also provided, controlled by a valve 33, said auxiliary intake port communicatin with the atmosphere, as indicated in t e full lin@ position of the valve 33, or it can be connected toy communicate with the main intake supply pipe Said valve 33 is o erated by means of a lever 33. A11 auxi 'ary exhaust port 34 is also rovided in the casing 1, as indicated in ig.- 1 and also in Fig. 2. The auxiliary intake port 32, controlled by the valve 33, permits fuel to be introduced into the engine in advance of the main intake port for priming when the engine has started and the auxiliary exhaust 34 permits a nal exhaust of any trapped gases between opposing pistons after t e pistons have passed the main exhaust port 31. By reference to Fig. 2 is will be seen that the positions ot the o posing pistons at that point will be such t at it 1s possible that not all of the products of combustion will pass through the exhaust port unless the port was elongated. ln order to avoid the necessit for elongating the exhaust port 31, I esta lish an auriliary exhaust port 34 to insure the expulsion of all of the products of combustion before the pistons startte move away one from the other, preparatory to taking in a new charge.

Said casing 1 is also provided with two sets of ignition means, designated on Fig. 1, as 35, 35. @n the casing l are extensions 35, within which are receptacles or chamhers 36, communicating with the interior of the casing l through relatively small ports 37. My ignition means as here shown coniprises an insulated terminal 38, held in place by means of a bushing' 39. The inner end the terminal 38 projects into the small 1 ort 37, as indicated, and is spaced from e wali ot the port substantially as shown, whereby said wall becomes the grounded terminal, thus vproviding means i, i aeae bers, each of which is successively used in different positions for intake, compression, expansion or explosion, and scavaging or exhaust actions, all of which actions take place in one revolution of the mechanism.

Referring now to Figs. V2,v 4, 5, 7 and 8, these operating chambers may be designated, respectively, as follows: I designates a chamber ready to commence intake action; C designates a chamber ready -to commence compression action; E designates a chamber at the yposition of explosion and ready to commence expansion action; and S designates a'chamber ready to commence the eX- haust action. In. Fig. 6, the pistons have advanced to the positlons occupied when the respective chambers are substantially half through the perfomance of the respective functions above mentioned. Itwill be remembered that one set of pistons, 11 and 11 are connected to and revolve with the main shaft 5, and that the other set of pistons. 14 and 14 are connected with the sleeve 12, which turns on and with the main shaft. 5, said pistons, therefore, all turning in the same direction and following each other around in the piston chamber.

I' will now describe the operation et the connecting and driving means between the main shalt 5 and the sleeve 12. Figures 3 and 4 show the connecting crank arms and links in the same relative positions. ln Fi 4f, an explosion taking place in chamber at forces piston 142 forwardly and through the connecting elements 13,12, 20, 20, 25, 26, 22", 22, 5 and 9, such forward movement is also transmitted to piston 11, assumin ot course, that the parts are started in the irection indicated by the arrow, or in a clockwise direction. ln Fig. 5, the positions are advanced one step and the impulse of an explosion in the chamber at E, between istons 11 and 14'.

drives piston 11 forward y, and through the connecting elements 9, 5, 22, 22", 25. 26, 20". 20, 12 and 13, such forward movement is also transmitted to piston 14. In Fig. 6 the parts are shown Vadvanced only' a half step for the purpose of showing the different relative positions of the driving connecting members in the order last enumerated.

ln Fig. 7, an explosion between pistons 11' and 14', operates through the connecting elements in the same order enumerated in connection with the abovey description. of- Fig.

assenso l, the parts, however, being diametrically opposite in their respective positions to those indicated in Fig. 4. ln Fig. 8 the parts are shown advanced a further step. An explosion between pistons 14 and 1l operates through the connecting elements in the same order` enumerated in connection with the above description of Fig. 5. In connection with Figs. l and 7, it will be understood that the order of enumerating the connecting elements lis from the piston to the sleeve 12 and thence through the connecting elements to the `main shaft 5, While in the description in connection with Figs. 5, 6 and 8, the order of enumerating the connecting elements is from-the piston to the main shaft 5 and thence through the connecting elements to the sleeve. rThis is true because pistons 1l and 11 are ri idly connected with the main shaft 5, ahlle pistons 1,4 and 14 are rigidly connected with the sleeve 12.

With the balance wheel 8 on the main shaft 5, said shaft and its pistons 11 and l1.p are thereby controlled and have a uniform rotation, while the sleeve 12 and its pistonsA lt and lll and the eccentricshaft 26 have ya variable rotation. lf the balance Wheel is understood that it is necessary to have either a variable speed of rotation in both sets ont pistons, or to have a variable speed of rotation in one set of pistons and a uniform speed of rotation in the other set, in order 'to provide for the variation in the sizes'o the operating chambers between the pistons for the performance of their respective functions.

' Attention is-,also called to the fact that the connecting "and operating mechanism connecting the main shaft 5, the sleeve 12, and the eccentric shaitt 26 can be made as a balanced mechanism. The crank lever 20, secured to and turning with the sleeve l2, is balanced by the counterweight 21 at one end and by one half of the Weight of the link 20, and its pivot pin 20, at its other end. The crank shaft 22, Asecured to and turning with the main shaft 5, is balanced by its counterweight 23 at one end, and by one half ot the Weight of the link 22b and its pivot pin 223, at its other end. The crank arm 25, mounted on the eccentric shaft 26, is balanced by its countervveight 27 at one end and at its other end it is balanced by one-half of the Weight of both of the links 20" and 22 and their pivot pin 2li. The paths of oscillation ot the links 2()b and 22b about their pivot .pins 202 and 22a, respectively, are indicad in light broken lines or arcs, 20c and 22, in llig. 3. The paths of oscillation of the 20D and '22h about their common pivot pin 24- isalso lindicated inlight broken lines, or arcs, 2Onl and 22d.

While ll have shown and described one practical embodiment ci my invention, l do not limit it to the exact showing mede for purposes ot illustration, except as l may be limited by the hereto appended claims.

l claimt' l. ln a rotary engine a piston casing hav ing main inlet and main exhaust ports, an auxiliary inlet and an auxiliary exhaust port, said ports being spaced apart, pistons mounted to rotate in said casing one after the other and adapwd to torni chambers therebetween, and means tor causing e, varying speed et rotation ci' said pistons, whereby to vary the sizes ot said chambers, substantially as described.

2. lin a rotary engine, a piston casing having a main inlet and an auxiliary inlet at a space apart, valve controlled means for connecting said auxiliary inlet with said main inlet or with the atmosphere at will, pistons mounted to rotate in said casino one after the other, and adapted to torni u: cmbers therebetween 'Within said casing, 'and ,means for causing a 4varying' speed ot ron tation of said pistons relative to each other,

whereby to vary the siaes oft said chambers for `functioning purposes, substantially as described.

3. ln a rotary motor oit the type having two complete piston strokes per engine revelution, a piston casing, two pairs ot pistone therein, concentric shafts for the respective pairs ot pistons, one o' which is sleeved upon the other, controllino mechanism for the pistons, spaced trom the piston casing,

comprising crank arms mounted int/errnof diate their ends to the piston shafts, a third arm mounted intermediate its ends to revolve about an axis eccentric to the piston shatts,`a connecting linlr between one end of crank arm. and one end ot the third each arm, counter-balance weights on the tree ends ont the crank arms, and a counter-balance Weight on the tree end ot' the 'third arni, all the Weights being efective in belancing the controlling mechanism outside ot the piston casing.

t. lln a rota motor of the type having two complete p1ston strolres per engine revolution, a piston casing, two pairs of pistons therein, concentric shafts for the respective pairs of pistons, one ot Twhich is sleeved upon the other, controllin mechanism tor the pistons, spaced from t e piston casing, comprising cranlr arms mounted interresdiate their ends to the piston shafts, third arm mounted intermediate its to revolve about an axis eccentric to the pieton shafts, a connecting linli' between one end ot each cranlr arin and one end ot the third erin, counter-balance 'Weights on the ico ends of the crank arms, and n counter-bulone-half the Weight of both its lconnecting' B0 ance weight on the free end of the third links.

ami, the counter-balance weight on the free Signed at Portland, Multnomah County, end of each crank arm being disposed to Oregon, this 24H11A day of September, 1919. balance the weight of the operative end of its crank arm and one-half the Weight of I FRANK A' BULLINGTN its connecting link, the counter-balance Witnesses: Weight on the third arm being disposed to I. M. GRIFFIN,

balance the weight of its operative end and WHMAM R. LITZENBERG. 

